Use the Web to plan Black Friday deals

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - For Brenda Bennett, Black Friday is as much of a tradition as the holidays themselves. Each year on Thanksgiving Day, she sits with her sister and neighbor with the ads spread out across a big table, planning their attack.

"We'll label which store is priority one, two, three, four for me," she told 24 Hour News 8 on Monday. "(And then) which is priority one, two, three and four for her, and we just make an agenda ... It's the best day of the year."

But unlike previous years when retailers kept Black Friday deals top secret until Thanksgiving, Bennett said the Internet has changed the game. Stores such as Meijer, for the third consecutive year, released their Black Friday plans online this week, complete with doorbuster deals.

And with Web sites such as blackfridayinfo.com , savvy consumers can find leaked information about the best deals before they're official.

"And as a new ad comes out, I'll call my husband into the office and say, 'look at this one ... look at this one," Bennett said.

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Some of the highlights?

This year, Meijer's deals will run from 5 a.m. to noon Friday. The store has 42-inch LCD TVs on sale for $499.

The most popular doorbuster items are TVs and electronics, but some items won't be revealed until Thanksgiving, said Frank Guglielmi, Meijer's director of public relations. The store will offer a 15-percent-off coupon good from 5 a.m. until noon for non-doorbuster items. Meijer posts the expected availability of items in stock on their ad. Visit the store's Web site for more information.

Target's doors also open at 5 a.m., which is two hours earlier than last year. Customers spending $100 or more will receive a $10 gift card from 5 a.m. until noon.

The official two-day sale circular will be released Nov. 25, online only at Target's Web site. The print ad will be released on Nov. 26 in local newspapers. The store will hand out store maps to customers waiting in line from 4 to 5 a.m. Friday, highlighting some of the most popular deals, spokeswoman Sarah Boehle told 24 Hour News 8.

Wal-Mart's ad will be online Monday. The store will be open 24 hours on Black Friday to avoid a dangerous rush.

Best Buy has a special Black Friday VIP contest where customers have a chance to win $1,000. For more information on the contest and other deals, visit the store's Web site. However, Bennett said she's disappointed it isn't offered in the Grand Rapids market.

Toys "R" Us is still working on its official plan.

Black Friday savings are even more important in a down economy, Bennett said. And although things can get crazy with pushing, shoving and long lines, prior planning is the key to success.

"We make sure we get everything on our list but we try and keep in good spirits, too," she added.